US Domestic News Roundup: California grid warns heat wave will stoke power demand; Trump election investigation in Georgia headed to grand jury next week and more

Days after the inferno destroyed much of the historic resort town of Lahaina on Tuesday and Wednesday, crews of firefighters were still battling flare-ups, and cadaver dogs were sifting through the town's charred ruins in search of victims. Analysis-Trump heading for Republican 'coronation' as 2024 rivals struggle to stop him As Florida Governor Ron DeSantis flipped pork chops in front of the cameras at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, a plane appeared in the broiling blue sky.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

California grid warns heat wave will stoke power demand

California's Independent System Operator (ISO) warned of high temperatures and increased electricity usage during the coming week as the grid operator prepares for tight conditions works to ensure adequate supply. In a notice released on Saturday, ISO said it is closely monitoring the power grid as widespread heat waves can cause supply shortages, with resources stretched thin across multiple Western states.

Trump election investigation in Georgia headed to grand jury next week

A Georgia prosecutor probing whether Donald Trump and his allies illegally sought to overturn the state's 2020 election results is expected to seek an indictment from a grand jury next week. Two witnesses who previously received subpoenas confirmed on Saturday that they have been told to appear before a grand jury in Atlanta on Tuesday, the clearest indication yet that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis will lay out her case to the jury after more than two years of investigating.

After Maui wildfires kill 96, search for the missing continues

The death toll from the Maui wildfires reached 96 on Sunday as relatives of the missing frantically searched for signs their loved ones may still be alive, while survivors grappled with the scale of the disaster and sought solace at church services. Days after the inferno destroyed much of the historic resort town of Lahaina on Tuesday and Wednesday, crews of firefighters were still battling flare-ups, and cadaver dogs were sifting through the town's charred ruins in search of victims.

Analysis-Trump heading for Republican 'coronation' as 2024 rivals struggle to stop him

As Florida Governor Ron DeSantis flipped pork chops in front of the cameras at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, a plane appeared in the broiling blue sky. It was Donald Trump's Boeing 757 private jet. It circled the fairgrounds, and thousands in the crowd looked up and went wild, cheering for the Republican former president.

Explainer-Maui inferno: What are the deadliest wildfires in US history?

The Maui wildfires in Hawaii have killed at least 96, making it the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century, with the total likely to rise as cadaver dogs sift through the ruins of the historic resort city of Lahaina. The causes of the Hawaii wildfires, which started on Tuesday night, have not yet been determined. Hawaii Governor Josh Green on Sunday called a part of the island of Maui that was devastated by wildfires a "war zone".

New Covid vaccines are on the way as 'Eris' variant rises

A new COVID vaccine is due out next month, but health experts and analysts say it is likely to be coolly received even as hospitalizations from "Eris", a variant of the Omicron form of the coronavirus, rise around the country. Some public health experts hope that Americans will welcome the new shot as they would a flu jab. But demand for the vaccine has dropped sharply since 2021 when it first became available and more than 240 million people in the U.S., or 73% of the population, received at least one shot.

Bankman-Fried heads to Brooklyn jail notorious for poor conditions

Sam Bankman-Fried will prepare for his fraud trial from a Brooklyn jail where inmates ranging from convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell to Honduras' former president have complained of subpar conditions. U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan in Manhattan ruled on Friday that Bankman-Fried, the founder of bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX, must be jailed for tampering with witnesses while free on $250 million bond at his parents' home in Palo Alto, California.

Hunter Biden's lawyers say US prosecutors reneged on plea deal

Lawyers for Hunter Biden said in a late Sunday court filing that prosecutors reneged on a plea deal that would have resolved tax and firearms charges against the U.S. president’s son as his father seeks reelection. Delaware federal prosecutors said on Friday that Hunter Biden may be headed for a criminal trial after plea negotiations broke down.

Explainer-US special counsels work with independence and a spotlight

The appointment of an outside prosecutor to investigate President Joe Biden's son Hunter means there are now three special counsel inquiries that could figure prominently in next year's election. Attorney General Merrick Garland tapped David Weiss on Friday to review whether Hunter Biden violated federal tax and gun laws. Weiss signaled that he would likely take the president's son to trial.

Exclusive-DeSantis and his backers paid $95,000 to Iowa religious leader’s group, documents show

As Florida Governor Ron DeSantis scrambles to shore up his struggling run for the Republican presidential nomination, he has spent far more than any rival on courting an influential Christian conservative leader and his following in the key early voting state of Iowa. Trailing far behind former President Donald Trump in national polls and beset by turmoil in his campaign, DeSantis and his advisers are spending heavily in Iowa in hopes of stalling Trump’s momentum by beating him in the state’s caucuses on Jan. 15, where Republicans begin to choose their next presidential nominee. The state’s influential evangelical voting base is crucial to that strategy.

(With inputs from agencies.)